BRUNSWICK, Maine (AP) Another Maine community has declared a civil emergency, urging residents to stay home and shuttering nonessential businesses in an effort to contain the coronavirus.

The Brunswick Town Council ordered all stores and businesses, outside a list of 27 essential industries, to close, the Times Record reported. The order is effective for seven days and is expected to be renewed.

The vote Tuesday night came a day after the Bangor City Council took a similar action.

If densely populated towns and cities follow Brunswick’s and Bangor’s lead, it could help put pressure on the state government to issue a similar statewide declaration, Brunswick Councilor Dan Ankeles said.

For now there are limits on public gatherings and people are encouraged to practice social distancing. But there’s no shelter-in-place order in Maine, where the number of COVID-19 cases has topped 100.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, and the vast majority recover, according to the World Health Organization. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

BEACH CLOSURE

Maine beaches do not host any wild spring break parties. But there are enough people congregating on public beaches in York that town officials decided to close them down.

Town Manager Stephen Burns said the local beach ordinance gives him the authority to close the beach and he made the decision after consulting with the police chief and local health officer.

He said the problem was that too many people were gathering. The closure applies to Cape Neddick, Short Sands, Long Sands and Harbor beaches. They will remain closed indefinitely.